WriteTraitsWriteTraits

WORD CHOICEWORD CHOICE

What is word choice?What is word choice?

Word choice is choosing words Word choice is choosing words that can make your writing a that can make your writing a masterpiece.masterpiece.

An author needs An author needs to paint a picture to paint a picture in the mind of in the mind of the reader. Word the reader. Word choice can add choice can add color to your color to your masterpiece.masterpiece.

Collector of WordsCollector of Words

A writer is a serious collector of A writer is a serious collector of wordswords

A word collection lets you select the A word collection lets you select the words with the perfect shade of words with the perfect shade of meaning to convey your ideameaning to convey your idea

How do I make How do I make good word choices?good word choices?

A serious collector will:A serious collector will: Use Use nounsnouns that create a picture that create a picture Change dull Change dull verbsverbs into colorful into colorful

onesones

What are nouns?What are nouns?

Nouns are names of people, places Nouns are names of people, places and thingsand things

Specific NounsSpecific Nouns Nouns are used Nouns are used

to show who, to show who, what, or where.what, or where.

When using When using nouns think, nouns think, could I be more could I be more specific?specific?

When using When using nouns be nouns be specificspecific Dog – DalmatianDog – Dalmatian Building – SchoolBuilding – School

What are verbs?What are verbs?

Verbs are action wordsVerbs are action words Examples – running, walking, Examples – running, walking,

swimming, eating, thinking, talking, swimming, eating, thinking, talking, etcetc

Colorful VerbsColorful Verbs

Choose verbs that create a picture Choose verbs that create a picture in the mind of the reader.in the mind of the reader.

Stay away from is, are, was and Stay away from is, are, was and werewere The day was hot.The day was hot.

The July afternoon was The July afternoon was scorchingscorching, it , it burnedburned my feet on the my feet on the sizzlingsizzling sidewalk sidewalk..

Other Great Words!Other Great Words!

Colorful Colorful verbsverbs and and specific specific nounsnouns are are best as main best as main ingredients in writingingredients in writing

but you need to use but you need to use adjectivesadjectives and and adverbsadverbs to add to add flavor to your writingflavor to your writing

What is an Adverb?What is an Adverb?

Adverbs show where, when, or Adverbs show where, when, or how.how. nearly, slowly, fast, badlynearly, slowly, fast, badly Most end in ‘ly’Most end in ‘ly’

What is an Adjective?What is an Adjective?

Adjectives describe a noun.Adjectives describe a noun. red, fat, strong, old, colorfulred, fat, strong, old, colorful

Why Use Adverbs and Why Use Adverbs and Adjectives?Adjectives?

Use adverbs and Use adverbs and adjectives to add adjectives to add color and flavour color and flavour to your writing!to your writing!

How Do We Find the Right How Do We Find the Right Word?Word?

A thesaurus!A thesaurus!

Using a ThesaurusUsing a Thesaurus

You are looking up words that have You are looking up words that have the same or nearly the same the same or nearly the same meaning as the word you want to meaning as the word you want to change. These words are called change. These words are called synonymssynonyms

SynonymsSynonyms

You need to choose the right synonymYou need to choose the right synonym LargeLarge and and vastvast are alike but not identical are alike but not identical You can order a You can order a largelarge coffee but not a coffee but not a

vastvast coffee coffee Choosing the right word depends on Choosing the right word depends on

context and the writer’s intended context and the writer’s intended meaningmeaning

Do not choose words at random from a Do not choose words at random from a thesaurusthesaurus

Looking up SynonymsLooking up Synonyms“I always did well on essay tests. Just put

everything you know on there, maybe you’ll hit it. And then you get the paper back from the teacher and she’s written just one word across the top of the page, “vague.” I thought “vague” was kind of vague. I’d write underneath it “unclear,” and send it back. She’d return it to me, “ambiguous.” I’d send it back to her, “cloudy.” We’re still corresponding to this day … “hazy” … “muddy”…” Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld (SeinLanguageSeinLanguageBantam Books: 1993)Bantam Books: 1993)

We get out the ThesaurusWe get out the Thesaurus

Do we just look the word up?Do we just look the word up? No, first we need to know how the word is No, first we need to know how the word is

used in the sentence used in the sentence Is it a a noun, a verb, an adjective or an Is it a a noun, a verb, an adjective or an

adverb?adverb? Is the synonym similar in meaning to what Is the synonym similar in meaning to what

the author meant?the author meant? Why? If you choose the wrong word, the Why? If you choose the wrong word, the

meaning of the sentence will change.meaning of the sentence will change.

Let’s PracticeLet’s Practice

Read the passage from Joan Bauer’s Read the passage from Joan Bauer’s book, book, Hope Was Here.Hope Was Here. Hope, a self Hope, a self described word person, is using her described word person, is using her thesaurus to help her work out her thesaurus to help her work out her feelings.feelings.

Can you think of 4 synonyms for the Can you think of 4 synonyms for the verb ‘verb ‘hopehope’?’?

Can you think of 4 synonyms for the Can you think of 4 synonyms for the verb ‘verb ‘hopehope’?’?

Word ChoicesWord Choices

The word choices you make as a The word choices you make as a writer will affect how your readers writer will affect how your readers respond to your ideasrespond to your ideas

Complete on your handout sheets:Complete on your handout sheets:

- Practice: Lists of Choices- Practice: Lists of Choices

- Shading the Picture- Shading the Picture

- A Shade Too Dark- A Shade Too Dark

Practice: Lists of ChoicesPractice: Lists of Choices

Identify the part of speech for each Identify the part of speech for each wordword

Use a thesaurus or dictionary to find Use a thesaurus or dictionary to find synonymssynonyms

Shading the PictureShading the Picture

You must think carefully about slight You must think carefully about slight differences in meaning of synonymsdifferences in meaning of synonyms

Choose words that will change the Choose words that will change the meaning as little as possiblemeaning as little as possible

Try to keep them the same ‘shade’Try to keep them the same ‘shade’

A Shade Too DarkA Shade Too Dark

If you choose the wrong synonym, If you choose the wrong synonym, you are a ‘shade too dark’you are a ‘shade too dark’

Thesaurus SearchThesaurus Search

Use a thesaurus to look up synonyms Use a thesaurus to look up synonyms for:for:

Night – nounNight – noun Blizzard – nounBlizzard – noun Pure – adjectivePure – adjective Bad – adjectiveBad – adjective Solitary - adjectiveSolitary - adjective

Thesaurus Search Gone Thesaurus Search Gone WrongWrong

The The nightnight before, Donald went to before, Donald went to bed fervently wishing for a bed fervently wishing for a blizzardblizzard the next day. When he awoke he ran the next day. When he awoke he ran to the window and was met by to the window and was met by purepure sunshine. He searched sky and sunshine. He searched sky and ground for evidence of ground for evidence of badbad weather, weather, but could not find so much as a but could not find so much as a solitarysolitary hailstone. hailstone.

Excerpt fromExcerpt from ‘Loser’ – Jerry ‘Loser’ – Jerry SpinelliSpinelli

The The nightnight before, Donald went to before, Donald went to bed fervently wishing for a bed fervently wishing for a blizzardblizzard the next day. When he awoke he ran the next day. When he awoke he ran to the window and was met by to the window and was met by purepure sunshine. He searched sky and sunshine. He searched sky and ground for evidence of ground for evidence of badbad weather, weather, but could not find so much as a but could not find so much as a solitarysolitary hailstone. hailstone.

Writing Weak in Word Writing Weak in Word ChoiceChoice

For example, this piece could benefit from For example, this piece could benefit from words that appeal to the senses -words that appeal to the senses -

Not:Not: Todd quicklyTodd quickly ateate aa goodgood sandwich.sandwich.

But rather:But rather: ToddTodd wolfed downwolfed down aa spicy Italian sausagespicy Italian sausage

sandwichsandwich stuffed with Graziano’s sausage stuffed with Graziano’s sausage and thick slices of mozzarella cheeseand thick slices of mozzarella cheese..

Make a Make a Masterpiece!Masterpiece!

Make a masterpiece Make a masterpiece using words. Think using words. Think of words as the of words as the paint and the paper paint and the paper as the canvas. By as the canvas. By choosing the most choosing the most colorful and exciting colorful and exciting words your writing words your writing can be a work of can be a work of art!art!

Things to DoThings to Do Insert a piece of loose leaf and make a Insert a piece of loose leaf and make a

title page ‘WORD CHOICE’ in your writing title page ‘WORD CHOICE’ in your writing notebooknotebook

After this put the following sheets:After this put the following sheets:-Alpha-boxes-Alpha-boxes-Synonyms for said-Synonyms for said-Breathtaking Adjectives-Breathtaking Adjectives-Boring Word List-Boring Word List

Glue in writing prompt due next dayGlue in writing prompt due next day Complete Boring Word list for next dayComplete Boring Word list for next day